Nehawu plan national strike against the Department of Social Development

By Drum Digital

06 February 2017

The National Education, Health and Allied Workers Union (Nehawu) is planning a strike in all nine provinces of South Africa on Friday.

Khaya Xaba, Nehawu’s spokesperson, says the strike is as a result of failed attempts to negotiate over mutual interest matters in the Public Health and Social Development Sectoral Bargaining Council, saying the department has failed to meet their demands since August 2015.

“Our demands is for a 14% increase for community-based workers, especially because they are expected to take care of members of the community, yet government does not want to take care of them in return,” he says.

Nehawu is also demanding bonuses for workers, and for those who are employed by contract to be employed permanently in order to receive benefits.

Xaba says they believe workers have been ignored by Minister Bathabile Dlamini.

The main march will take place in Pretoria at the Department of Social Development’s head offices and Xaba is expecting to make a successful impact.

“There has never been a Nehawu strike that has not been successful,” he says. “We are the biggest trade union in the country and the most powerful. We expect our issues to be resolved within three weeks.”

November 2017

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